


Bathe Me In Serenity Again

by Quirky_Ginger



Category: Holby City, holby
Genre: Hospitals, Long-Distance Relationship, Love, Reunion, berena - Freeform, coming home, holby city - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-07 22:48:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,858
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14681064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quirky_Ginger/pseuds/Quirky_Ginger
Summary: Ways in which Bernie comes home to Serena.The title is a quote from the love letters between Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West.





	1. The Saviour

**Author's Note:**

> First instalment ft. Jason AKA. the biggest Berena shipper ever

Serena stood opposite her nephew and his girlfriend, averting her eyes to the floor. She knew she had constantly been mothering them since the discovery she would have the opportunity to be grandmother, but she feared if she didn’t keep a steady grasp, then she would lose them – just like how she lost Ellie. This was her chance to make up for her relationship with Elinor, her lost relationship with Jason whilst she was on Sabbatical and put all her might into being either the fun great aunt or doting grandmother, either one she was thrilled. She had gone round to Greta’s flat when there was a concern in the middle of the night, dropping everything in a flash, welcomes the couple and baby bump into their second home every moment possible and had even helped the pair devise schedules and routines, of all possible outcomes.  
Yet, she was being overly protective. Jason and Greta both knew that she was just caring for them – of course they did. After a pep talk from his Auntie Bernie, to why his Aunt may be so clingy – he finally realised it was because she didn’t have much family left and that Jason and his ever-extending family was her main priority. Serena finally decided to be honest with her nephew.  
‘Jason, I know you want to be independent and be free from your old Auntie Serena, but… you are all I have left here now, in Holby. I’ve lost your grandmother and Elinor. Bernie’s away and… I just, can’t lose you too. You’re way too important to me.’  
‘You’ve still got us Auntie Serena. Just because we might not be in the same house doesn’t mean we don’t love you. Bernie’s away and she still loves you. We just want to adults and able to have our own space.’  
‘I understand, love’ Serena sniffled as she rubbed Jason’s arm.  
‘It’s an awfully big house just for me – I just thought it might be a nice place for the baby to run around in when it’s older, that’s all.’ Serena added.  
Jason and Greta looked at each other.  
‘We’ll think about it, Serena’ Greta spoke, timidly.  
‘Okay – no rush’ Serena spoke, not realising tears rolling down her face.  
‘Why are you crying Auntie Serena, surely you should be happy that we might move to your house?’  
‘I’m fine, really,’ Serena spoke – both Jason and Greta not convinced.  
‘It’s just been a long day’ Serena sighed, ‘I think I’m just missing your Auntie Bernie today. She’s been busy for the last few days and I’ve not been able to speak to her – I think it’s finally hit me’ She wiped at her tears, composing herself.  
‘I’ll be fine. We’ll be fine… the world can go around.’ Serena smiled.  
Serena eventually retreated from the side room after checking that they were comfortable for the night. Greta’s complications weren’t too serious, they just thought it best to keep them in overnight. Serena collected her bag and coat from the office before travelling home.  
Meanwhile in the hospital, Jason pulled out his phone, doing what he is best at: encouraging his Auntie’s girlfriend to come back from a foreign country and playing cupid.

Auntie Bernie,  
Tonight, Auntie Serena has been really sad. She cried a lot and told me and Greta she thinks she is losing us because we don’t live with her anymore. She told me she had a bad day because she is missing you a lot. The last time you went to Ukraine, she cried all the time and when you came back she was happy again. I don’t want her to cry anymore.  
She misses you, Auntie Bernie.  
Please come home soon  
Lots of love,  
Jason X

Bernie shed a tear. They spoke about Ukraine and how Serena was when she was away – subsequently leaving her guilty and saddened. That night after the steaming session in the office, they lay in bed, Bernie promising how she would never do that to her again. Bernie had to go home. Bernie needed to go home. Bernie wanted her home.  
\---  
Serena had a full day at work, did two hours of overtime, checked in on Jason and Greta after being discharged, completed four successful surgeries, discharged five patients, stitched up two youths, drank four cups of coffee, completed all her paperwork and finally went home. She wouldn’t describe the day as manic, tiring perhaps and all that was calling her by the time she got in,just shy of 11 o’clock, was a large glass of Shiraz and by her bed.  
She indulged herself in 2 or 3 glasses, nestled upon the sofa watching some boring TV show on gardening. If Bernie was there, they would definitely be nestled underneath the throw they bought in France, together, sipping at glasses of the best quality Shiraz, making small talk whilst the record player, sang silently in the background. She began nodding off on the sofa and was suddenly woken by a small knock on the door. She waited a second, relistening for a knock again – checking she wasn’t going crazy. She hoped it wasn’t something serious – it was probably Mr. Walker again, he thought it was okay to pop around even when he had a paper cut – it wouldn’t be Jason, he had already texted to say that him and Greta got home safely. She stood up and made her way to the door, wobbly on her feet from tiredness plus the wine.  
That is not what she was expecting. Her mouth hung wide open before the tears began to fall. She couldn’t move when suddenly two strong arms enveloped her into a hug. Serena buried her face into the waves of blondes, wiping away the tears.  
‘Shh… I’ve got you’ Bernie whispered into her ear before pulling back to see the beautiful sight before her. Her makeup running, eyes red from the tears – she was still as beautiful as ever. Bernie cupped Serena’s cheeks, wiping away the tears ‘no more tears, my love.’  
‘God. I’ve missed you, Bernie Wolfe’ Serena said smiling before crashing into another enormous hug.  
‘You do realise I’m not letting you go for a while, at least’ Serena said, kissing at Bernie’s cheek and jaw.  
‘I wouldn’t have it any other way!’ Bernie replied, finally touching their lips.  
God, that was worth it!


	2. More than an Auntie

Jason was glowing with the fact that he was going to become a dad. He had readied his daughter’s clothing and Greta’s hospital bag (which lay nestled by the front door), he had assembled her moses basket and could hardly contain his excitement. Every time he looked at her, on a scan picture or saw her kicking Greta’s stomach, his smile grew and grew. Yet in the pit of his stomach, there was still a hint of sadness. Sadness that his aunt would never see his cousin be a mum, sadness that him and Greta spend the majority of their time in the flat, that she was alone in the house he used to love calling home and sadness that his Auntie Bernie wasn’t there to comfort Serena. He knew Serena felt the same – fear that a new infant would bring back memories of Elinor yet excited that she would be able to do it all over again after believing that something like this would never happen to her. 

‘Great-Aunt Serena has quite a ring to it don’t you think?’ Serena nodded towards him, whilst sat at the table in her kitchen.

‘I think it’s a rather long mouthful but technically that is what you are going to be so I think that it suits you’ He spoke, thinking exquisitely about his choice of words.

‘Well you can bring her here, day or night – I’d prefer you to move here all together but I know how much you want your own independence… I know I said I wouldn’t meddle it’s just… I don’t want you to struggle, I could help whenever, if you were here.’ Serena spoke, her hand coming to rest on her neck, twiddling her necklace.

‘I know, Auntie Serena,’ He said, laying his hand atop hers before sipping at his tea with the other.

‘Your mother would be very proud of you – I know it because I am very proud of you too’ Serena smiled before quickly wiping away a tear.

\---

Jason went home to Greta that night – his Auntie had done everything for him – letting him move in immediately; breaking off her relationship with Robbie to Bobby because he meant more to her; bought him tickets for his favourite sci-fi convention; loved him as her own and for the first time after his mother had died – he felt as if he had a family, someone who loved him for who he was – she was a mother to him. 

‘Auntie Bernie, I need your advice’ Jason spoke immediately into the phone even before his Aunt could say ‘hello’.

‘Hello to you as well, Jason,’ Bernie replied, hundreds of miles away – still smiling at the fact she gets to be called an Auntie.

‘Sorry, Auntie Bernie – hello. But this is serious and I didn’t know who else to ask… because you see, it’s something about Auntie Serena.’ Jason spoke affirmatively.

‘Okay, I’m all ears – what are you worried about?’

\---

After his conversation with Dr. Bernie, Jason knew he just had to ask the question – come clean and talk to his Aunt. He had thought it through: if it went well, he would take her to Albie’s to celebrate and if it went wrong he was apologise profusely and then get Bernie to ring his Aunt.

‘Auntie Serena…’ he knocked hesitantly on the door of her office, he closed it and sat down on the chair nearest to Serena ‘I need to talk to you and I will prewarn you that I am rather worried about it… I have spoken to Greta and Auntie Bernie…’

‘You spoke to Bernie?’

‘Yes, before she decided to go to France she told me I could call her at any time, about anything. Now please, don’t interrupt’ Jason replied firmly.

Serena smiled – some people didn’t like Jason’s honesty yet she thought that his bluntness was one of his best characteristics.

He took a breath although his eyes kept drifting to the floor.

‘I know these past few years have been rather…’

‘Up and down’ Serena suggested.

‘Yes. Well, me and Greta have been thinking that… you are like a mum to me Auntie Serena… you have loved me just like you love Ellie and… and… me and Greta really want you to… when the baby comes, we would like you to be her grandmother. We want the baby to call you grandma or nan or whatever you like – we just want our baby to be able to have a Grandma as loving as Serena Campbell,’

Serena sat shocked.

‘I know that because Elinor isn’t here, you might feel like you’ll never get to be a grandma, but with our baby, we want you to have a chance’ Jason spoke sincerely. He couldn’t read her face, her eyes began to leak with tears and she stared at the photo of her, Ellie and Jason on her desk.

‘Have I upset you – I can’t tell. Auntie Bernie said that if you…’

‘I’d love to… I really would’ Serena interrupted this time, but with a toothy smile.

‘You would?’

‘Of course, I would… You know after Ellie died, I never dreamt of having this opportunity,’ Serena spoke getting to her feet enveloping Jason in a hug.

Serena wouldn’t let him go, her chin nestled in the crook of his neck – he had begun to enjoy a more open Serena after she returned from her travels.

‘Auntie Bernie thought you would be okay with it and if not, she told me to tell you to ring her, somehow Bernie is pretty good at cheering you up,’

‘She sure is,’ Serena smiled, pulling back from the embrace.

‘And I suppose that because you and Bernie love each other and we are a family, she would be like the baby’s grandma too’ Jason thought, precariously.

‘I’m sure she’d love that.’ Serena smiled, the idea of her and Bernie in domestic harmony looking after their granddaughter thrilled her.

‘How do you think she would react if I asked her?’

\---

Greta went in to early labour in the early hours of a Monday morning, contractions were slow but because of her elevated blood pressure and how prone she was to panic attacks, they thought it best to keep a close eye on her. Serena sent a text to keep her partner updated:

We’ve a baby on the way, Wolfe. X

Finally, on Tuesday evening, a baby girl entered the world – her father holding her mother’s hand whilst her Grandma sat patiently in pulses nursing a cup of tea. She got a text through from Jason to say they had a baby! Serena’s heart warmed at the smiley face at the end of the message. She would wait half an hour or so, inform the troops on AAU before heading upstairs to meet her granddaughter. She entered the maternity wing, was pointed in the direction of a side room and to one of the most precious sites she has ever seen: these being the first moment she had Elinor put in her arms, a picture she has of her mother and daughter asleep together on a couch, waking up in the middle of the night and seeing one Berenice Wolfe’s face, peacefully in the land of sleep and this. Greta was sat in bed, looking exhausted yet blissfully happy whilst her nephew held his new born, rocking her in his arms. A hand went to her mouth at the sight.

‘Auntie Serena!’ 

She walked into the room, giving Greta arm a squeeze before kissing the top of her head, congratulating her.

‘Do you want a hug, Auntie Serena?’

‘I think I do,’ Serena spoke, dishevelling her coat and bag and sitting on a chair, before Jason placed the babe into her open arms. The baby wriggled at her grandmother’s touch. She was so small, smaller than Ellie was, her skin soft and that new baby scent still lingered, Serena placed a kiss on the baby’s forehead,

‘She’s beautiful,’ Serena sniffled ‘I can’t believe I get to be this one’s Grandma,’ she whispered, noticing Jason had gone to check on Greta, wrapping an arm around her.

‘I’m definitely getting some hugs in with you, missus. Just you wait till Grandma Bernie gets here in a week or so, she will be all over you.’

Serena sat will the infant for a while, gazing into the baby’s eyes, remembering what Elinor was at this age whilst her parents debated the best name combination for the little one.  
There was a tap at the door before it swung open.

‘Not too late to the party am I, they told me the wrong room and I didn’t used to come up here much…’ Bernie stood there, looking tired and similarly to Serena, her eyes lit up when she saw the baby in her partner’s arms. She spoke quickly and took a big sigh before walking into the room more.

‘Auntie Bernie, you’re here!’ Jason said enthusiastically before making his way over to where his other Aunt was.

‘Well, I thought I’d get an earlier flight.’ She replied to Jason although her eyes still fixated on her beautiful Serena.

‘Bern…’ Serena gasped, her mouth finally catching up with her brain. Bernie was here in this room. Not Ukraine. Not Nairobi. She was here. Serena let out a small laugh in disbelief.

‘Hello, stranger.’ Bernie whispered back.

‘Do you want to meet your granddaughter?’

‘Go on then!’

They made there way to each other, Bernie dropping her luggage in the process. There were no huge declarations and running towards each other like in the films. They both were in a trance at the new born. Serena gently handed the baby over, giving her another kiss in the process. The baby’s brown eyes were wide open looking in between her grandmothers.

‘She adorable, Serena.’ Bernie spoke, unable to wipe the smile off her face.

‘She sure is.’

They both stood face to face, the small baby in Bernie’s arms in between them whilst Serena slid her arms around her partners waist.

‘I can’t believe you are here, I wasn’t expecting you for a few weeks’

‘Well, I can go back if you’d prefer’ Bernie spoke, raising an eyebrow.

‘Don’t you dare. You are here now with our granddaughter and that is the best feeling ever’ Serena said, caressing Bernie’s hip through her jumper. Bernie repositioned the baby so she had her in one arm, managing to hook an arm around Serena’s shoulder, burying her nose in her hair.

‘I’ve missed you,’ Bernie murmured.

‘I’m glad your home.’ Serena spoke, staring into Bernie’s eyes before bringing their lips together for the first kiss they had shared for at least 5 months. It was pure heaven.

‘I dib being the fun Grandma, by the way’ Bernie quipped.

‘Sure thing, Wolfe.’


End file.
